Apparatus for demonstrating sacro-iliac lesions



NOV. 19, 1935. R MlLLARD 2,021,566

APPARATUS FOR DEMONSTRATING SACRO-ILIAC LESIONS Filed Jan. '9, 1954 5Sheets-Sheet 1 5% Q W3 I DOW INVEN TU H l /1 ATTUBNEY NOV. 19, 1935. J,R AR 2,021,566

APPARATUS FOR DEMONSTRATING SACRO-ILIAC LESIONS Filed Jan; 9, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 2 III/l Ill:

' I JS I l l 15 INVENTEIRI ,W W

3/2 7 ATTORNEY Nov. 1% 1935; J MILLARD 2,021,566

I ILIAC LESIONS APPARATUS FOR DEMONSTRATING SACRO- 5 S heetsSheet 3Filed Jan. 9 1954 T03. ml-17m ,ANVEN mm Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR DEMONSTRATING SACRO-ILIAG LESIONS 5Claims.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, no apparatus has been designed fordemonstrating dislocations of sacro-iliac joints to a patient in such amanner that the patient may obtain an actual picture of the nature, bothquantitative and qualitative of the injuries in the sacro-iliac region.In order to do this it is necessary to provide a device which will movethe sacrum in four different directions, that is, will rock it with a toand fro motion and also effect a slight -rotation on its major axis. Thedevice also must be provided with means for causing a rotation of theinnominates or hip-bones at any desired degree.

The hip-bones and the sacrum are the real foundation for all thestructure above and the legs and the feet are the supports. If asacroiliac strain, pelvic turn or wrench takes place, the bony frameworkof the ribs and. chest and the spine from its base to the atlas will bethrown out of correct alignment. Even the head will not be on straightif one hip is tilted. Recent investigation has shown that many ailmentsare caused by displacements of the hipbones and that these ailments canbe corrected or alleviated by correcting the displacement. For instancearthritis is often caused by hip injuries that bring about fiat .feetand spinal curvature in the region of the kidneys. Sacroiliac strainsmay be caused in various manners. Quite often a person may sustain suchan injury in performing his daily duties or in sports. A slip on a wetfloor or fall on the hip may disable a person for some time unlesscorrection is made. A sacro-iliac strain may cause a curvature which maythrown the ribs and chest wall on the heart side and give the patient aheart-conscious feel- This invention relates to an apparatus which willeffect the movement of the sacrum and the hip-bones into any of thepossible positions so that displacements of the sacrum and hip-bones maybe approximately demonstrated to a patient, thus making it possible toshow him or her the nature of his or her injury in this locality. Withthis object in view I have designed an apparatus which will support thatpart of the human skeleton from the hip-bones to the feet and haveprovided it with means for effecting the necessary rotation of thehip-bones and the movement of the sacrum into the four differentdirections hereinbefore mentioned.

It is contemplated that the device will be op erated by a physician,osteopath or some other person skilled in the art to which thisinvention relates. The skeleton which is used is preferably a preparedone, the bones of which are held together by artificial ligaments andcartilage.

In the following description I propose to describe a preferredembodiment of my invention having reference to the accompanying drawings5 in Which:-

Fig. l is a front elevation of an apparatus constructed according to myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the means for rotating the hip-bones;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section of the means 15 for eifecting themovement of the sacrum;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view on the line 1-! Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a front View of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 showing askeleton mounted in position;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of Fig. 8.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout thespecification and drawings.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the apparatus, which is showncompletely assembled, con- 25 sists of a base I on which is mounted asupporting member 2 and a housing 3 which may be formed with thesupporting member or separately therefrom and mounted on the top of thesupporting member in any convenient manner. Two arms 4 and 5 are securedto the hous-, ing and extend outwardly therefrom in a horizontal planeand at an angle thereto towards the front of the apparatus, the forwardend of each arm being provided with a bearing 6 at right angles to ashaft which is mounted in the housing 3 to be hereinafter mentioned. Theouter end of the casing of each of the bearings 6 is cast to form ahousing 1 for enclosing a pinion 8. The operation and use of which willbe described specifically with relation to the means for efiecting therotation of the hip-bones. The top of this housing I is provided with abearing 8 in which is to be mounted a worm 9.

The means for effecting the movement of the sacrum is illustrated indetail in Figs. 6 and '7 and consists of the following parts which aremovably supported by the housing 3. The front and rear end of thehousing 3 is provided with plates l6, II respectively, the outer surfaceof this plate l0 having spherical faces with the point l2 shown in Fig.6, as the center, and the plate H having a spherical convex surface withthe point l2 as shown and also being provided with cross shaped slotsl3, M. The point I2 is located substantially in the center of the sacrumwhen it (the sacrum) is attached in position as hereinafter described.Mounted Within the housing is a shaft I5 which is supported by collarsI6, I'I, contacting with the plates II), II, the contacting surfaces ofthe collars having spherical surfaces similar to the spherical faces ofthe plates so that they mate. The collar I6 is secured tightly on theshaft while the collar I1 is free to move in a longitudinal direction.

The shaft I5 extends beyond the collar I6 and has mounted thereon amember I8 which is shaped to fit the sacrum and is adapted to be securedthereto by means of screws or rivets. The rear end of the shaft extendsbeyond the collar I1 and has mounted thereon a wheel I 9 which is keyedto the shaft against rotation on the shaft by a key 20, this end of theshaft being screw threaded to receive a locknut 2| for clamping theshaft in .any of its possible positions, this being accomplished byrotating the locknut to force the wheel against the collar IT. Thespherical faces of the plates and the collars are maintainedin contactby a spring 22 which presses against the collar I1 and the wheel I9.

The means for effecting the movement of each hip-bone is illustrated indetail in Figs. 4 and 5 and consists of a. shaft 23 which is rotatablymounted in the bearing 6. The inner end of the shaft being provided with.a member 24 which has its outer surface shaped to fit the hip-bone. Theouter end of the shaft has slidably mounted thereon a wheel 25 which iskeyed thereto against rotation on the shaft by means of a key 26.Mounted on the shaft within the housing I is a pinion 8 which mesheswith the worm 9. The outer extremity of the shaft is screw threaded andhas threadably mounted thereon a locknut 28 by means of which the shaft23 may be locked in its set position, the rotation of the shaft beingeffected either by the wheel 25 or if slow motion is desired by rotatingthe worm 9.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 I have shown a skeleton mounted in position, thevarious parts of the skeleton being indicated by the following referencenumerals, 33 indicates the left hip bone and 33 indicates the right hipbone; 34 and 34 the legs; 35 and 35 the feet and 36 the sacrum. Themember I8 is attached to the sacrum by means of screws or rivets whilethe members 24 are similarly attached to the hip bones. In Figs. 8 and 9I have shown in dotted lines the hip bone 33 to illustrate a.displacement of this hip bone. The displacement shown in dotted lines inFigs. 8 and 9 can be returned to normal position by manual manipulationby a skilled osteopath or others skilled in this art. The three handwheels-may be used simultaneously to show different dislocations which.are in the right and left pelvic bones and the sacrum with respect toeach but tohave such a compound dislocation of the pelvic bones andsacrum would be rare and most unusual. The wheels 25 and I9 are neveroperated to force the bones together or apart.

Each leg of the skeleton is supported on a vertically movable platform29 each platform being adjustably mounted on a vertically movable rod30. The lower end of each rod enters through an orifice in the basewhile the upper end is connected to a link 3| which is secured to and.actuated by the member 24. The platforms may be adjusted to the correctposition by the set screw 32 so that when the skeleton is placed ontheplatforms the hip-bones will align with the members 24 and the sacrumwith the member I8.

In employing the demonstrator, the feet of the skeleton are placed onthe platforms 29 with the hip -bones in line with the members 24. Themember I8 is secured to the sacrum by means of rivets or bolts and themembers 24 pressed against the hip-bones. To rock the sacrum the nut 2iis loosened and the shaft I5 which slides in the slots I3, I4, is movedin a vertical plane with the po'mt I 2 as the pivot point which willgive the sacrum a rocking movement. Since the shaft I5 moves on a circlewith the point I2 as the center .and since this point I2 issubstantially in the center of the sacrum, the screws or rivets whichconnect the member I8 to the sacrum will not be loosened by'thisoperation and when the sacrum is brought to the desired position it maybe set by tightening the nut 2| which presses the collars I6 and l Itightly against the plates I0, II. To twist the sacrum from its normalposition, the shaft is moved on a horizontal plane in the slot I4. Eachhip-bone'may be rotated independently from its normal positions by themember 24. For example the right hip-bone may be rotated from its normalposition by loosening the nut 28 located on the right side of the devicewhich permits the shaft 23 to be turned by the wheel 25 or the worm 9which will cause the right hip-bone to be moved by the member 24 and maythen be set in position to which it has been rotated by tightening thenut 28. During the movement of the right hip-bone, 7

any relative movement of the left hip-bone is prevented by member 24 onthe left side of the device which is locked in position by its nut 28.As the member 24 is rotated the platforms 29 are moved up and down tosupport the iegs as they are moved by the movement of the hip-bones.

Having thus fully described my invention What I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for supporting a skeleton and demonstrating therewithdislocations of sacroiliac joints comprising a base, a supporting memberextending upwardly from the base, a housing mounted on the top of saidmember having incorporated therewith manually operable mechanical meansengaging with the sacrum, movement of said means effecting acorresponding movement of the sacrum, and manually operable mechanicalmeans engaging with each of the hipbones for effecting a rotation ofeach hip-bone.

2. A device for supporting a skeleton and demonstrating therewithdislocations of sacroiliac joints comprising a base, a supporting memberextending upwardly from the base, a housing mounted on the top of saidmember having incorporated' therewith manually operable mechanical meansengaging with the sacrum, movement of said means effecting acorresponding movement of the sacrum, and manually operable mechanicalmeans engaging with each of the hip-bones for effecting a rotation ofeach hipbone, and means movably supporting the legs attached to thehip-bones as they are raised and lowered by the rotation of thehip-bones 3. A device for supporting a skeleton and demonstratingtherewith dislocations of sacroiliac joints comprising a base, asupporting member extending upwardly from the base, a housing mounted onthe top of said member having incorporated therewith manually operablemechanical means for moving the sacrum to various positions consistingOra shaft, one end of which is adapted for connection to the sacrum,said shaft being mounted in the housing for movement in a horizontal andvertical direction on a center point located in the sacrum, and manuallyoperable mechanical means engaging with each of the hip-bones foreffecting a rotation of each hipbone.

4. A device for supporting a skeleton and demonstrating therewithdislocations of sacroiliac joints comprising a base, a supporting memberextending upwardly from the base, a housing mounted on the top of saidmember having incorporated therewith manually operable mechanical meansfor moving the sacrum to various positions consisting of a shaft, oneend of which is adapted for connection to the sacrum said shaft beingmounted in the housing for movement in a horizontal and verticaldirection on a center point located in the sacrum, manually operablemechanical means for rotating each hip-bone consisting of a shaftrotatably supported by the housing, a member mounted on the inner end ofeach shaft shaped to fit and engage with the hip-bones, means forrotating said shaft to effect a movement of one of the hip-bones, meansfor locking said shaft in any of its possible positions; and means formovably supporting the legs attached to the hip-bones as they are raisedand lowered, by the movement of the hip-bones consisting of a pair ofadjustable and vertically movable platforms the movement of which iseffected by the movement of the last mentioned member.

5. A device for supporting a skeleton and demonstrating therewithdislocations of sacroiliac joints comprising a base, a supporting memberextending upwardly from the base, a housing mounted on the top of saidmember having incorporated therewith manually operable me- 5 chanicalmeans for moving the sacrum to various positions consisting of a shaft,one end of which is adapted for connection to the sacrum, said shaftbeing mounted in the housing for movement in a horizontal and verticaldirection on a 1 center point located in the sacrum, the mounting forsaid shaft consisting of a pair of plates, one secured at each end ofsaid housing the outer surface of each plate having a spherical faceconcentric with the said center point, two collars 15 mounted on saidshaft having spherical surfaces mating with the surfaces of said plates,manually operable mechanical means for rotating each hip-bone consistingof a shaft rotatably supported by the housing, a member mounted on the20 inner end of each shaft shaped to fit and engage with one of thehip-bones, means for rotating said shaft to effect a movement of one ofthe hip-bones means for locking said shaft in any of its possiblepositions; and means for movably 25 supporting the legs attached to thehip-bones as they are raised and lowered by the movement of thehip-bones consisting of a pair of adjustable and vertically movableplatforms the movement of which is efiected by the movement of the last30 mentioned member.

JOHN REESOR MILLARD.

